..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services |
Date 5 March 2007
Press Release No. G/03/2007
Forum Stresses the Urgent Need for ICT Capacity-Building
in Asia and the Pacific
Incheon (United Nations Information Services, Bangkok) – A senior United Nations official calls today on countries in Asia and the Pacific to take urgent actions to address a lack of human resources in information and communication technology (ICT), warning that inadequate capacity in the field could slow down the region’s development.
“Building human capacity is the core of the people-oriented and inclusive Information Society,” said Mr. Kim Hak-Su, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), at the opening of a regional forum in Incheon, Republic of Korea. However, the magnitude and scope required for building the needed skills was often beyond the limited resources of many developing countries in the region, Mr. Kim added.
The two-day forum, organized by the recently established UN Asia and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT), aims to identify the key elements for an action plan on closing the gap in ICT human resource development. It brings together about 150 representatives from governments, international, regional and national organizations, the private sector, academia and the civil society.
“I am very delighted that the Regional Forum on ICT Capacity Building for the Asian Pacific region is being held here today in Korea”, said H.E. Mr. Rho Jun-Hyong, Minister of Information and Communication, Republic of Korea. By acting as the host country to UN-APCICT, Mr. Rho said, the government of the Republic of Korea was determined to play its part in bridging the global digital divide.
Extending a warm welcome to the participants, Mr. Sang-Soo Ahn, Mayor of Incheon City, said that the digital revolution and the development of ICT were instrumental in bringing about one of the most dramatic changes in history.
Both the Minister and the Mayor expressed their support to the Centre and its mission to position itself as an e-hub serving the region and beyond.
“It is hoped that this Forum will create a climate of cooperation among government leaders, development organizations, educators, and representatives from the private sector”, said Ms. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director of UN-APCICT. “We can work together to help bridge the digital divide and actively pursue knowledge-based development by building ICT human resource capacity.”
For a full list of APCICT activities, please refer to: http://www.unapcict.org/board/board_notice.asp
For more information on the Asian and the Pacific Regional Forum on ICT Capacity Building, please visit: http://www.unapcict.org/board/board_event_view.asp?num=2006121102
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director
APCICT, Incheon
Tel: +(82) 032 245 1700
Email: rheeh@un.org
http://www.unapcict.org/
Mr. Hak-Fan Lau, Chief
UN Information Services
UNESCAP, Bangkok
Tel: +(66-2) 288 1866
Fax: +(66-2) 288 1052
Email: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, ESCAP is the largest of the UN's five Regional Commissions in terms of population served and area covered. The only inter-governmental forum covering the entire Asia-Pacific region, it aims to promote economic and social progress. More information is available at www.unescap.org.
